Role & Purpose
Director to join our Sourcing team as the enterprise lead for customs classification, duty engineering, and tariff compliance. Serve as subject‑matter expert in apparel and accessories HTS classification, guiding the organization through the full pre‑production process to drive compliant, cost‑effective importation. This highly visible, cross‑functional role requires the ability to educate and influence at all levels—design, production, senior sourcing leadership, and legal counsel—as well as acting as the primary liaison between internal teams and customs brokerage partners.
Responsibilities
- Classification & Duty Engineering
- Lead the development and institutionalization of a pre‑classification process, partnering with each sourcing team to review product lines and facilitate estimated landed costs prior to line finalization.
- Own classification review for select complex categories post‑finalization, ensuring data integrity before passing to the brokerage.
- Identify and communicate duty engineering opportunities to sourcing and design teams, including construction and material modifications that may reduce duty exposure.
- Monitor and evaluate the impact of FTAs, trade preference programs, and evolving tariff policy on the product line, translating findings into actionable recommendations.
- Cross‑Functional Education & Communication
- Develop and maintain education materials such as duty cheat sheets, classification guides, and training decks for sourcing, design, merchandising, and production teams.
- Serve as the internal communications lead for tariff updates and regulatory changes, providing clear, timely, and accurate guidance to stakeholders including senior sourcing leadership and design leads.
- Plan and facilitate internal training sessions and duty seminars as needed, partnering with the customs brokerage and other subject‑matter experts.
- Brokerage & Legal Liaison
- Act as the key internal liaison with the customs brokerage, facilitating clear and efficient communication between the brokerage and internal sourcing teams.
- Collaborate with legal teams when reviewing new trade guidelines, binding customs rulings, or other regulatory interpretations.
- Support the preparation and submission of customs ruling requests to CBP as needed.
- Compliance & Process Integrity
- Reinforce and continuously improve customs compliance procedures to maintain a compliant organization.
- Monitor CBP regulations, tariff schedule updates, and trade policy developments; assess risk and communicate impact proactively.
- Manage workload across multiple categories in a fast‑paced, deadline‑driven environment.
- Data, Systems & Technology
- Own and maintain the integrity of the HTS classification database, ensuring accurate and up‑to‑date records across all product categories.
- Conduct regular audits of classification data, identify errors, inconsistencies, and compliance risks, and implement corrective action as needed.
- Develop and distribute reporting on duty spend, classification activity, duty savings achieved through engineering efforts, and tariff exposure by category or country of origin.
- Partner with Operations and IT teams to continuously evaluate and optimize trade compliance tools and platforms.
- Leverage data analysis to identify patterns, surface duty savings opportunities, and support strategic sourcing decisions.
- Team Development & Leadership
- Lead and develop a team of classification and trade compliance professionals, providing day‑to‑day direction, coaching, and performance feedback.
- Foster a culture of continuous learning, keeping the team current on regulatory changes and industry developments.
- Model a collaborative, solutions‑oriented approach that reflects the cross‑functional nature of the role.
Qualifications
Required
- 10–15 years of progressive experience in HTS classification and customs compliance, with 7–10 years specifically in apparel and/or accessories.
- Deep, hands‑on expertise in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) and apparel‑specific classification nuances.
- Demonstrated experience with duty engineering, including knowledge of construction and materials as they relate to duty rates.
- Strong familiarity with FTAs, preferential tariff programs, and other trade benefit mechanisms.
- Proven ability to communicate complex tariff and trade compliance concepts clearly to non‑specialist audiences.
- Experience interfacing with legal counsel on customs rulings and regulatory review.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience creating and delivering training materials and presentations.
- Proficiency in PowerPoint and Microsoft Office Suite.
Preferred
- Licensed Customs Broker (LCB) or Certified Customs Specialist (CCS) designation strongly preferred.
- Bachelor's degree in International Trade, Business, Supply Chain, Fashion Merchandising, or a related field.
- Experience working within a retail or branded fashion company.
- Familiarity with customs compliance platforms and entry management tools such as ACE.
- Experience building or working within classification databases and reporting dashboards; proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, data analysis) or BI tools a plus.
Key Competencies
- Subject matter authority in apparel/accessories HTS classification.
- Cross‑functional influence and executive‑level communication.
- Analytical and detail‑oriented with strong organizational skills.
- Proactive and solutions‑oriented in a fast‑changing trade environment.
- Ability to mentor and coach non‑specialist teams.
Benefits & Perks
- Health & Well‑being: Medical, dental, prescription, vision, fertility, adoption, surrogacy support, fitness discounts, medical travel, and more.
- Associate Discount: Great discount across all J.Crew brands.
- Summer Fridays: Office closes at 1:00 PM on Fridays during the Summer months.
- Community Impact: Philanthropic efforts and the J.Crew Cares Program.
- Winter Break: End‑of‑December break for eligible full‑time associates at the Home Office.
Salary Range: $152,800.00 - $201,400.00.
We are deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and warmly welcome applicants of all backgrounds.
Acknowledgement: J.Crew Group affirms equal opportunity to all associates and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin or citizenship, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, protected physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other basis protected under applicable law.
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